LONG serving Conservative, Joy Bushby, has blamed the state of Bromsgrove District Council as the final straw in her decision to quit the party and switch sides.

The veteran politician, a major figure in the party at local and national and European level, shocked the political establishment on Monday by announcing she has joined the Liberal Democrats.

Mrs Bushby has represented Woodvale on Worcestershire County Council for eight years and is a former chairman of Bromsgrove District Council.

Until the May 2003 local elections, when she lost her seat to her daughter Sarah by just three votes she had represented Catshill ward for the Tories on the district council for 28 years. In November that year Sarah joined the Independents.

"The state of Bromsgrove District Council is the final straw. I have agonised for many months because this has been a very difficult decision," said Mrs Bushby.

"My late husband Terry was a leading Conservative and I have been active in the party for 35 years.

"This is a very emotional and difficult time but I cannot be hypocritical and stay with a party that no longer represents what I believe in."

She said that despite three major operations she was in good health and would contest Woodvale for the Liberal Democrats.

Mrs Bushby had planned to tell the leader of Worcestershire County Council last week, but he had cancelled the meeting.

Local Conservatives made light of Mrs Bushby's decision, coming just three months before the County poll and a probable General Election.

Tessa Gillespie, Chairman of the Bromsgrove Conservative Association, said another candidate had been preferred to Mrs Bushby for the forthcoming elections.

"We are dismayed and disappointed that she has defected without notice. She has never expressed any concern about Conservative policies at either national or local level to officers of the association or at her recent selection meeting."

Tessa Gillespie said Mrs Bushby's attendance at council meetings in the last 18 months had been poor.

But Mrs Bushby described this as "particularly nasty" - stating that she had continued with her work despite serious illness.